PA prime minister Salam Fayyad announces that not just in words, but also in actions, Jerusalem will be the “eternal capital of Palestine.”
In his most recent weekly radio speech, Fayyad announced that the Palestinian Authority provides, and will increasingly provide, municipal services in “all spheres” in Jerusalem. The city will be the “eternal capital of Palestine," he stated.
Fayyad thus continues his campaign to focus on Jerusalem as the capital of what he hopes will be the future Arab-Muslim state of Palestine. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu banned him from taking part in the dedication of a new Arab school in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem. Fayyad took advantage of the opportunity to declare that all of northern and eastern Jerusalem – including neighborhoods such as Ramot, N’vei Yaakov, Pisgat Ze’ev, and Gilo – actually belong to the Palestinian Authority.
Violation of Oslo Accords
Official PA activity in Jerusalem, such as maintaining headquarters, funding schools, paving roads and providing municipal services, is outlawed under the Oslo Accords.
Article XVII of the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, also known as Oslo II, states that Israel retains full control of Jerusalem in all administrative and other areas, and bars the PA from exercising any authority or conducting any official activity in the city.
“Israel’s policies and decisions regarding Jerusalem will not change the fact that eastern Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian land," Fayyad told his radio audience, "which will be the eternal capital of Palestine.”
Another Violation
Despite Oslo, Fayyad has focused his efforts of late on strengthening PA control of Israel’s capital. Several months ago, he similarly focused on a campaign to ban consumption of Israeli goods produced in Judea and Samaria – another violation of a treaty, specifically, the Israel-PLO Economic Agreement signed in Paris in April 1994.
Fayyad’s talk included further incitement against the “settlers,” whom he accused of “daily terrorism against Palestinians” and attempts to “rip away the city from its Palestinian expanse, and to remove it from the map of the State of Palestine.”
“I repeat my call via the local broadcasting authority,” Fayyad said, “to all Palestinian institutions to formulate additional important initiatives [in strengthening PA control of northern and eastern Jerusalem], especially those that can be implemented quickly.”
Abbas' Term is Over; Will Fayyad Succeed Him?
Fayyad is seen by some – though others strongly disagree – as the future successor to Mahmoud Abbas, who is currently the Temporary Acting President of the Palestinian Authority (a designation to which Hamas objects). Abbas’ term in office ended officially nearly a year ago, yet he refuses to hold new elections for fear that Hamas will defeat Fatah.